


I love inside jokes. I'd love to be a part of one someday.

by LittleDanvers



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: College AU, F/F, Kara/Lena eventually, Lena/Winn brOTP, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 19:40:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10771083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleDanvers/pseuds/LittleDanvers
Summary: College au in which Kara is a baby bi superhero, Lena and Winn are big nerds who have been recruited by the DEO, and Alex kinda missed her chance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr @ karadanvers-yasqueen

National City University Library; it's where Lena feels most comfortable. Something about the rows of books and the dark wooden tables reminds her of Lionel's office -- the only room in the Luthor mansion that had ever really felt like home.

The quiet is all enveloping -- which is usually unnerving because Lena knows it means people are staring at her, scrutinizing her, judging her, because before anything else she'll always be a Luthor ; evil by association -- but the library quiet is different; it's calming, but tonight it seems to be just out of Lena's reach.

"I'm telling you Lena something is going down. It's been all over the news, _a female flying form?!_

Lena glances up from her text books, pinching the bridge of her nose as she glares across the table at Winn.

"Seriously Lena. It's _aliens_!" The last part is hushed as Winn's hands come down against the table so he can lean a bit closer to Lena.

Lena shakes her head, "aliens? In National City? Winn, this is the exact reason I left Metropolis...all this unhealthy obsessive focus on --"

"Aliens." Winn says crossing his arms over his chest, "and I'm not some evil matriarch or a spiraling good boy gone bad."

Lena lets out a self deprecating laugh, after all they had bonded over their somewhat murderous families. 

The daughter of the infamous Lillian Luthor and sister to Lex, and the son of The Toymaker.

It almost feels like fate (but Lena doesn't believe in that, can't afford to believe in much of anything really.)

"I'm telling you they're here. In National City." Winn's fingers are flying over the keys of his laptop filling the brief silence with a rhythmic tap-tap-tapping sound. "Well, you might feel differently if you read _the_ website." Winn says slowly turning his laptop so Lena can see it.

Lena arches an eyebrow, "oh, the website that you write?"

"The website that I contribute to and honestly that only gives it even more credibility Lena."

"Do tell."

"Because of this," Winn's waving his hand back and forth between them, "this thing we got goin' on."

"Oh you mean the thing where you always seem to be at the library, sitting at the same table as me, distracting me from studying?" Lena's flipping through the pages in her text book trying to find the chapter she needs.

"I mean, most people call it friendship but I can get behind your long winded definition."

Before Lena can reply they're interrupted.

"Ms. Luthor? Mr. Schott?" The voice is deep and intimidating, and when Lena and Winn look up they both realize that the man belonging to the voice is just as terrifying. 

He's dressed all in black from head to toe, muscled arms showing beneath his shirt sleeves. His eyes are dark and his mouth is pulled in a tight line.

"And you are?" It's cold and distant just how Lillian taught her.

"Hank Henshaw, I'm here on behalf of the.... _government_." He's struggling with how much information to divulge -- toeing that line carefully -- in case his offer is refused.

"Government? Care to be more vague?" Lena's not stupid, her Mother and Lex could definitely be behind this little stunt.

"I'm here to request your cooperation with the DEO, which I highly recommend you accept."

Winn's eyes widen, "the DEO? _it's real?_ "

"Winn? What are you talking about? Do you know this guy?" 

Hank gives Winn a curt nod; nothing more. Lena turns her eyes to Winn, imploring him to explain. He scoots around the table to sit next to her.

"The DEO Lena," Lena just raises her eyebrows at him, " The Department of Extranormal Operations, which I'd like to point out you would know if you read that website."

"Ah yes Mr. Schott that _website_ needs to come down immediately."

"Yes sir consider it done! When do we start? Where do guys operate from? What kind of clearance will we get?" Winn's rubbing his hands together, his brain short circuiting at all the possibilities.

Lena's still skeptical. "How do I know my Mother's not behind this?"

"That's exactly why we need you Ms. Luthor to help bring down your mother. Have you heard of Cadmus?" It's a gamble and Hank knows it but he believes in Lena, after all she's cut off all ties and moved herself straight across the country.

Lena's eyes widen, just slightly, and had he not been trained in body language Hank would of missed it.

She knows _something_ \-- and that seems to be enough to sway her.

"Can we go somewhere more private to discuss this further?"

It's a question, he's giving them a choice -- Lillian never left room for free will-- Lena turns to Winn, eyes holding his, looking for some kind of answer.

"If we're not actively fighting against _them_ Lena, then aren't we just as bad?"

_"Yes."_

********

_"The trapped employees of National City Goliath Bank appear to have a guardian angel when what many report to be a female flying form rescued them from certain death.”_

"Oh my god!" Kara squeals as she flops onto her couch. Her hair is damp from the shower, hanging loose around her shoulders and she still smells faintly of smoke -- seriously this was the last straw, a girl could only catch fire so many times and ruin so many outfits before she has to take a stand -- she's sitting with her legs crossed and a bowl of popcorn in between them.

Saving people always makes her hungry.

_Leyna Nguyen is live on the scene.  
Thank you, Rick. Guardian angel or human wrecking ball?_

"What!" Kara's voice is high pitched -- it's a good thing Eliza insisted she take over the lease of Alex's rent controlled apartment (having secret super powers is easier to hide living alone and not sharing a tiny dorm room) -- and filled with disbelief.

_There is destruction all over Otto Binder Bridge. And one..._

"Well, you try saving a bunch of people from a burning high rise for the first time and see if you don't make a mess." Kara says accusingly to the television.

Kara hears Alex's heartbeat just outside her door -- thrumming against her ribs -- and before she can even knock  
Kara's there throwing it open and ushering her inside.

"Did you see it Alex? I saved them, all of them. I'm so excited!I mean I know it's not really the first time, but I mean it was a high rise Alex..." it's all coming out in a rush and Kara doesn't even stop to look at Alex -- cause if she did she'd definitely see the stern look on her face. "And I thought I'd forgotten how to fly, well not really forgotten how, more like forgotten how it _feels_."

Alex is leaning against the closed door hands fisted at her side -- it's close to rage this feeling inside her and the drinks she'd had earlier aren't helping.

"I'm just not sure what comes next, or maybe I am? And I'm just afraid what it means..."

Kara stops now, finally realizing Alex has yet to say a word. Her blue eyes meet Alex's -- the sparkle of excitement fading immediately -- her face is serious, her arms are crossed over her chest, and her lips are turned down in a frown.

"Al?" Kara's got the sleeves of her sweater pulled up over her hands, fingers fiddling with the fabric -- the soft feel of the material between her fingers is such a stark contrast to the look on Alex's face.

She's disappointed and it makes Kara deflate instantly.

"You exposed yourself Kara. To the world."

Kara pulls a little harder on the fabric -- not too hard, just hard enough to feel the strain against her shoulders -- and if she doesn't focus on one thing for too long she can keep the tears out of her eyes -- just not the sadness out of her voice (of course there's the anger too, it's always there, reigned in but simmering).

"Everyone will know about you Kara, you can't take that back."

"I don't want to." She never wanted to hide it in the first place. "I've always felt the need to help people Al. Always. And you have no idea Alex, no idea how hard it is to live with myself every day knowing...you just, it's...I didn't travel 2000 light years just to be, just to..." Kara throws her hands up in the air frustrated beyond belief.

Alex is suppose to be her sister -- and this stings, sits heavy in her chest like betrayal -- Alex is suppose to be her person.

"What if people figure out who you are? _What_ you are? It's not safe Kara. You need to stop, you can't do anything like this again."

" _Oh_ " this is what crashing felt like -- that landing in her pod, that was child's play, "I'm kinda tired...you should go." Kara whispers dejectedly as she slides down onto her couch, pulling a pillow in her lap.

Alex's hand is already on the door knob when she turns back, "don't say I didn't warn you," and before Kara can even look up she's through the door.

Alex is shaking, has to lean against the wall to collect herself. 

"Fuck." He had told her this would happen,"fuck, fuck, fuck." 

It's still a blur -- like most of her nights are-- being in the jail cell. He had told her this would happen if she didn't get a handle on Kara, stop all these small heroics happening around National City.

His voice was low talking about whatever stupid government agency he worked for -- God Alex can't even remember his damn name -- offering to help Alex sober up and take care of her sister.

Help her to keep her promise to Jeremiah. That promise she had made to her father before he disappeared.

Alex had declined.

"Fuck."


	2. Chapter 2

Kara's late (late-ish).

The culprit? Doughnuts -- honey cruellers, actually -- oh, and the latte, the latte was pumpkin spice and delicious.

But now she's definitely in the realm of not arriving on time -- totally worth it though -- honestly, how could it not be.

As justified as Kara feels about her breakfast choices, and she truly does feel justified, she really doesn't want to be late.

Which leads to the rushing; human speed rushing of course.

The rushing leads to the clumsiness, which leads to the collision.

She sees him, she really does; dark hair, plaid shirt, matching tie and cardigan, messenger bag slung across his chest.  
Kara sees him, the problem is he's heading for the seat she wants; one of the last aisle seats.  
And it shouldn't matter but it does.

Kara tries to dart around him, but she miscalculates. She forgets to include the last three steps into her equation and she stumbles down them, elbow connecting with Cardigan Guy....

"Owww!"

Kara winces, her hands grasping his shoulders to steady him.  
"Sorry! I didn't see those last few steps. I'm Kara by the way. Kara Danvers." She says with a smile as she side steps him and slips into the seat.

"I was going to sit there." Cardigan Guy says rubbing his probably bruised ribs.

Kara's already got her laptop opened and her textbooks strewn across the desk top. She smiles up at him, "well?..." she waits for him to fill in the blank.

"Winn."

"Well Winn, since I'm basically settled..." Kara nods to the empty seat beside her.

He glares at her as he slides into the seat directly beside her.

"Umm Kara?"

Kara looks up from her laptop screen to meet Winn's quizzical gaze.

"There's no k in mechanical." Winn says gesturing towards the screen of the laptop.  
Kara glances down, finds the typo and looks back up sheepishly. "Oh yeah, thanks Winn."

"Kara, this is an advanced _mechanical_ engineering class. You know that right? Mechanics of Materials. I mean, are you sure you're in the right class?"

"Yep!"

"Okay well how'd you even get registered for this class, I'm assuming you don't have the required pre requisites" Winn continues skeptically.

"I'm sneaky Winn, sneaky and charming."

"You stumbled down a bunch of steps --"

"Only three steps," Kara interrupts making sure he gets his facts straight.

"Fine then, you stumbled down three steps and elbowed me, pretty hard I might add, in the ribs before claiming the seat that I wanted." Winn states crossing his arms over his chest.

"I said sneaky Winn, not graceful, and look," Kara says waving her hand between them, "we're becoming friends. I can feel it." She smiles wide, blue eyes sparkling, "and that is due to my charmingness."

Winn chuckles, then winces. Girl was strong.

"Okay, okay, so the sneaking and the charmingness, which is definitely debatable by the way, brought you to this class for?"

Kara motions her hand towards the front of the classroom and Winn's eyes widen.

"Oh my god! You're a lesbian!"

"Winn!" Kara squeaks, "that is none of your business and beside the point," she blushes as she looks up trying to figure out what would even give Winn that idea.

_Lena_ _Luthor_.

She had been motioning directly towards Lena Luthor, which wasn't really Kara's intention.

Her intention had been to motion to the professor because ultimately she was here to learn (the details surrounding her need for this knowledge -- a suit she could create that won't keep catching fire, seriously flammable? non flammable?how the heck do they mean the same thing -- really wasn't any of Winn's concern).

But now Lena is looking at them, more specifically she's looking directly at Kara.

Kara looks down immediately, she can already feel her cheeks heating up.

It wasn't Lena who had brought her to this class, although she is incredibly intelligent, probably would be extremely helpful to the cause (National City's very own Super in the making) -- bar her last name.

But Kara's pretty sure Lena is different -- in all the ways that truly matter -- than the family name that always seems to drag her down. (Well she's as sure as one can be without ever really speaking to said person).

Kara looks up, lashes fluttering beneath her glasses, she gives them an absentminded push so they sit just a little higher on her nose as she peers over at Lena.

Lena's bent slightly at the waist, looking at some report laid out on the professor's desk, her  
dark hair is swept up in a loose bun, red lips resting somewhere between neutral and a frown, pale skin and....

"So, what you want from Lena Luthor _is_?"

Kara whips her head around to stare at Winn, the hard kind of stare that's suppose to be intimidating but she's never quite been able to pull it off.

"Not from _Lena_ per se,"

Winn looks at her incredulously and Kara just glares.

"Knowledge Winn. I'm here for knowledge."

"You know Kara, I deal in knowledge. It's kinda my wheelhouse."

Kara crinkles her brow.

"Like the kind of inside knowledge of a super exclusive study group."

"Winn?" Kara questions, turning her puppy dog eyes on him.

"And maybe the knowledge that I can get you a seat at said study group." Winn finishes with a wave of his hands.

"Yes! Please, yes!" Kara exclaims excitedly, clasping her hands together in what looks like a hybrid of a clap and a self high five -- she's gonna need all the help she can get.

Winn conveniently leaves out the part where the super exclusive study group consists solely of him and Lena Luthor and is really less of a study group and more like two people sitting next to each other in relative silence working on their respective projects -- but those are minor details.

Definitely minor details.

********

"I'm telling you Lena, she _likes_ you, and I'm trying to be a good wingman here. I mean I even invited her to our study group!" Winn's wheeling himself around the tables in the lab, of the DEO, where they both work, gossiping like a school girl.

"We don't have a study group," Lena states through gritted teeth, but she can feel her heart fluttering against her chest at the image of wide blue eyes behind black rimmed glasses, a high ponytail with blonde curls, and pink stained cheeks.

"I mean we do in the technical sense, as in we -- me and you -- that's the group part, always sit together at the library where learning occurs and that's the studying part"

"Only one of us does any studying and two people isn't a group."

"She'll be our third!"

"No Winn." Lena's serious and her voice is firm, she has no time for romance -- life's too complicated, her life is too complicated -- and it'd be unfair to anyone to drag them into this mess (no matter how pretty they are.)

"Is that a blackbody field generator!?!" The change of subject is sudden, which is Winn's usual distraction tactic.

Lena doesn't even need to look up to know that Winn is most likely leaning back in his chair touching something that she doesn't want him to touch.

She sets down the screw driver she's holding and pushes the black rimmed safety glasses -- okay, so maybe they're prescription glasses that just happen to also be safety glasses (she only ever wears in the lab) -- back up her nose before she levels Winn with a glare.

She's right on all accounts.

"It will be if I can get it working, which will only happen if --"  
Lena stretches across the table and snatches what is effectively a gun (developed by an Alien on a planet that is not Earth) from Winn's grasp, "you stop touching things and distracting me."

"Pffft distracting? You're kidding me right? I'm here to provide intelligent insight..."

"You're here to gossip and to play with all the cool stuff I've been authorized to work with Winn." Lena says with a raised eyebrow.

"But we're friends Lena and..."

Lena chuckles, "friends?"

Winn spins himself around in his chair -- the one he wheeled himself in on, the one that Lena has told him at least fifty times does not belong in the lab -- doing three full rotations before coming to a slow stop facing Lena, "you're right, that's my bad, sorry, _best_ _friends_ ," he states with a lavish motion of his hands. "And best friends let each other examine all the super cool equipment they're authorized to work with."

Lena glares at him, doesn't bother correcting him on the whole best friends thing because honestly, he probably is the closest thing she's ever had to a best friend, but she's definitely not going to tell him that -- with her words at least -- she knows he'll take her silence as confirmation of their bff status anyways.

Lena crosses her arms and stares down at Winn, " alright so where's the intelligent insight I was promised?"

"So glad you asked, if the blackbody is at equilibrium with the alien weapons it will absorb the electromagnetic radiation and shut them down, which is genius!"

"Which means I already know that..." Lena's smile is quick and Winn lets out a small huff, "but the frequency and wavelength they're a match so..."

They're both staring at the machine with laser focus.

"The induction coil!"  
"The induction coil!"

Her eyes meet Winn's and neither can hide their excitement. Lena quickly gets to work making the adjustments she needs.

"Just for the record I said it first." Winn says as he stands from his chair scooping up the previously confiscated gun.

Lena sets down her tools, satisfied that everything is in working order.

"Punch it!"

Lena's so tempted, any engineer -- almost engineer because technically her degrees aren't complete yet-- would be.

"There will be no punching of anything."

Lena's hand drops quickly to her side and she watches as Winn slowly slides the gun behind his back and onto the table.

"Director Henshaw what brings you here on this lovely Friday night? Another lonely single who's given up on finding Ms. Right, because you're definitely with two people who can sympathize! Although someone may have a potential suitor." Winn says with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"Winn!" god Lena wishes she could kill him with a look -- the Luthor's are close but still a little shy of that technology just yet.

Henshaw continues to glare, and it's super unnerving just how long he can go without blinking.

" _Mr_. _Right_?"

"For Christ sake Winn." Lena wants the earth to split open and swallow her whole.

"No Mr. Schott. I am here because you are here, touching things you are not authorized to be touching..."

"But,"

"Let me stop you there Mr. Schott, this is the DEO and BFF privileges do not apply, nor will they ever and Pam in HR just wanted me to reiterate that with you."

Director Henshaw is circling the table now, scrutinizing Lena's work -- and god it makes her nervous, makes her feel like she's a little kid again.

"Is it ready?"

"Yes sir."

Lena wants to squirm under his gaze, she steels herself for the criticism that's sure to follow -- because doesn't it always follow scrutiny.

"Very well." It's followed by a curt nod in her direction. "We will have to find a _suitable_ venue to conduct testing." He finishes, eying Winn.

"Is that an invitation Director? Because as a valuable contributor to this project I humbly accept and call dibs on shooting the Alien gun."

"That would be a no on the invitation, skepticism on the valuable contributor, and dibs Mr. Schott? I'm not entirely sure but I do believe it holds the same power as BFF privileges."

Winn pouts sticking his hands in his pockets.

"Besides the two of you will be too busy with your new assignment."

They both perk up at this, side eying each other across the table.

"What's the mission boss?" Winn questions, excitement evident in his voice.

"The _assignment_ is regarding another student at NCU, that we suspect may be behind some of the..." he wants to be diplomatic -- Kara's trying her best (if you gloss over the fact that she's exposing herself and creating a whole world of trouble) -- it's just hard because of the destruction of city property.

"The chaotic good?" Lena supplies with a small smile as she thinks back to the latest string of happenings in National City.

"Yes, Ms. Luthor thank you. Chaotic good. The citizens are being saved but the structural integrity of the city is not fairing so well."

"Sooo our new mission is?" Winn's hands are steepled in front of his face, lips resting against the bend of his thumbs.

"You're new assignment Mr. Schott will be Kara Danvers."

"You're kidding me!?" Winn is nearly giddy with anticipation.

Lena's eyebrows draw together as she tries to figure why she knows that name.

Hank's eyes flicker back and forth between the two agents.

"What planet does Kara originally come from?" Winn questions.

"Krypton."

"As in a descendent of Superman?" Winn's voice is getting higher by the second.

"Older cousin."

"A Super and a Luthor! My mind is just," Winn's hands are at his head mimicking an explosion, "kaboom!"

Lena wants to laugh at the irony but she's too busy dying on the inside.

Winn slings his arm around her shoulder as they both follow Director Henshaw out of the lab and into the debriefing room, "so I guess our study group is definitely going to be happening now!"

Lena gives him a shove as she slips out from beneath his arm, "I hate you."

"And I revel in it Lena!"


End file.
